


Found

by unrealities



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff and Angst, M/M, soul-marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-17 13:23:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11852478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unrealities/pseuds/unrealities
Summary: “I know we're soulmates!” Alec cries, throwing his hands up in defeat.“How?” Izzy asks, staring him down with a glinted glare. “When?”“I knew when he kicked my ass atWii Bowling”—he holds a hand up and glares when Jace holds back a stinted laugh—“and we had this moment where something just clicked.”“That doesn't mean he's your soulmate,” Jace inserts, “it could just mean it finally clicked that you suck atWii Sports.”Or the one where Izzy and Jace are surprisingly comforting and actively trying to convince Alec he is horrible at sports-themed video games.





	Found

**Author's Note:**

> This story came out of nowhere for me. When I started it, I honestly didn’t think I would finish it, but here it is, albeit a little scatterbrained and maybe even a little convoluted: the incredibly over-written, but always appreciated Soulmate AU.

 

Moving trucks are the first noise that welcomes Alec awake, followed by men shouting, objects dropping, and screams of sorrow.

Alec shifts in his bed, sitting at the edge of his mattress as he glares out the window to see who and what are disrupting the neighborhood at seven in the morning. With his terrible luck, another newcomer is moving into his apartment complex, but on the other side of his misfortunes, the newcomer is quite attractive.

In the few moments he is staring out the window, he learns that the moving men are terrible at their jobs and constantly dropping furniture, making the owner shriek in terror. The only discernible features of his new neighbor are the dark black color of his hair and the shine of glitter upon his cheeks against the sunlight, but Alec is definite about his attraction when he hears his new neighbor let out a snorting laugh loud enough to be heard from his window on the second floor.

“What are you doing?”

Alec jumps to his feet, turning around to find Jace standing in the doorway of his bedroom.

“Don't you knock?” Alec snaps, stepping away from the window and walking towards his closet.

“I did,” Jace deadpans, “repeatedly. You didn't answer and I got worried. Sorry for being the caring roommate.”

Alec rolls his eyes. “Well, I’m fine. I probably couldn't hear you over all the noise the movers are making down there.” He purposefully omits the truth of being distracted by their new and attractive neighbor; he receives enough teasing from his roommate already.

“Did that wake you up, too?” Jace asks, yawning as he stretches his arms over his head. The hard crack of his back breaks the silent air of their home. “Man, isn't that, like, the fourth new person in the complex?”

Alec shrugs into a shirt and pulls on pants. “I think so,” he murmurs, looking around for a belt. “It's the fourth time I’ve been annoyed by movers in the past two weeks.”

“Is it normal for people to be moving into apartments like this or is this just a popular neighborhood?” Jace is pouting, his arms crossing over his chest as he leans against the doorframe.

Alec does not point out how childish Jace is acting and stifles a laugh instead. Jace gives him a sour look.

“It's a good neighborhood,” Alec comments, shrugging, “I don't blame people for wanting to move here.”

Jace nods his head in annoyed agreement and points a thumb in the direction of the kitchen. “What do you want for breakfast?”

“Coffee?” Alec prompts.

“And I’ll make some pancakes,” Jace adds with approval before heading towards the kitchen.

Alec is left alone once more, but he is aware of the wide-open door of his bedroom. He travels back to his spot at the window and finds the new neighbor still ordering around incompetent movers as they try to lift a couch up the few steps to the building's entrance. As he watches, he finds the need to hold back a smile.

**_____**

The day moves slowly and Alec is relieved when Jace announces his leave to his girlfriend’s house. Alec makes a point to remind Jace to treat Clary nicely; he has grown rather fond of her.

Alec recalls the first time Jace mentioned Clary: a few years ago when they were fresh out of high school and wondering about soulmates. They both questioned the reality of ever finding their respective soulmates. History has made it prevalent that only the lucky few find the person bearing the same soul-mark that defines a soulmate.

Then, Jace surprises him with what he says about Clary: “She's not my soulmate and I’m not hers, but we love each other and we need to live in the _now_. What's the point of dwelling on a person that's out there who we may never actually meet when we have the capability to love so many people in the moments without a soulmate?”

That moment is the epitome of Jace’s profoundness, but it did not lessen Alec’s want to find his soulmate.

His sister Izzy agrees with Jace’s philosophy on soulmates. She is in the easy routine of finding and dating people without the idea of a soulmate holding her back. Alec wishes he can dismiss the subject of soulmates like Izzy, Jace, and so many other people in the world, but he feels safely anchored at the thought of his soulmate. When he allows his mind to fantasize about whoever his soulmate may be, he becomes excited and nervous and hopeful in finding his soulmate.

He does not confide in Izzy or Jace when it comes to soulmate because they will dismiss him and the topic altogether. One day, he wonders aloud why soulmates are a seemingly taboo topic, especially among each other. Izzy and Jace did not talk to him for an entire week after that. From that moment on, he has wanted nothing more than to talk about soulmates and his soulmate without repercussions.

But Izzy and Jace are content with never knowing who their soulmates are and some days, Alec wishes he is, too.

Alec is pulled out of his thoughts when he hears a knock at the front door. His mind is reeling from his thoughts on soulmates and he is made aware of the tension in his shoulders as he is crouched over his coffee mug at the kitchen table. Another set of knocks echo through the apartment and startles him to the door. The last person he thinks of is at the other end, awaiting Alec’s response to an energized greeting.

Alec knows he is staring with wide-eyes and dropped jaw. The man standing in front of him is the new neighbor he shamelessly gawked at in the morning. He finds that staring at the man from the third floor did no real justice compared to seeing him standing in the doorway of his apartment. Everything about the man is heightened; his hair is a dark brown, highlighted by darker and lighter strands and the sparkle on his cheekbones is intensified even in the shoddy light of the hallway.

“Hello?” The man is now less energetic and more worried as he waves a hand in front of Alec’s face.

Alec snaps himself out of his thoughts, shaking his head and muttering profuse apologies. “Sorry,” he mumbles, rubbing the nape of his neck harshly. The neighbor gives him a sympathetic smile. “Is there something I can do for you?”

“I was just walking down the hall getting to know my nearest neighbors,” the man explains with a bright smile, “and I must say that everyone here is absolutely lovely.”

“It's a good neighborhood,” Alec offers with an anxious smile.

“I'm Magnus,” he greets, the smile never leaving his stately shaped face as he reaches out his hand, “I live in 2B.”

“I live in 2D,” Alec blurts. He purses his lips immediately and turns his gaze away from Magnus in embarrassment. “You knew that. Because you're at my door.”

Instead of the uncomfortable response Alec is expecting, Magnus lets out a light laugh. “Well, can I know the name of who lives in 2D or is this going to be a mystery for me to solve?”

Alec wonders if Magnus is outright flirting with him or if it is apart of his seemingly flirtatious nature; he desperately hopes for the former.

“My name is Alec,” he says, stumbling over his words. “It's actually Alexander, but I go by Alec. I live with my friend Jace. He's not here right now.”

He tries not let his wry thoughts overcome him, but grimaces outwardly despite it. His chest relaxes when Magnus smiles warmly in response, once again doing the opposite of what Alec expects from him.

“I should probably get going if I want to introduce myself to everyone in this hallway. It’s been nice talking to you, Alexander.” Magnus pauses, the corners of his lips suddenly turning down. “Do you mind? Me calling you Alexander?”

 _Yes. No?_ “You can call me Alexander,” he mumbles, biting his lower lip.

“Are you sure?” Magnus asks, quirking an eyebrow at Alec’s indecisive response. “I don't want to make you uncomfortable.”

“Yes,” Alec says, clearing his throat, “you can call me Alexander. I promise it doesn't make me feel uncomfortable.” He offers a smile to allow Magnus to feel at ease in their currently awkward conversation.

Magnus reciprocates the smile. “Then, I’ll see you around, Alexander.”

When Magnus turns to walk away, Alec shouts, “Wait!” _For what?_ He tries to conjure an excuse to be in Magnus’s presence for a few moments longer. “You just moved, right? Do you need any help?”

“That isn't necessary,” Magnus says.

“It wouldn't be a problem,” Alec insists, “I don't have work tomorrow.”

“Work?” Magnus asks, deflecting the current question at hand.

“I work at a bookstore,” Alec answers with a shrug of his shoulders. “It's Sunday tomorrow and it's usually closed, then.”

“Well, I don't want to keep you from your Sunday relaxation,” Magnus says.

Alec widens his eyes. “I'm not trying to pressure you into letting me help!” he exclaims, holding his hands out. “I'm sorry if I made it sound like that.”

“I wasn't thinking that,” Magnus assures, a smile returning to his lips, “it's just that my apartment is quite messy and I've got my personal belongings everywhere. But when I get that cleaned up, I'll come by and ask for your help settling.”

“Okay,” Alec stammers. He slaps a hand to the back of his neck, feeling the intensified heat of his skin.

“I’ll see you soon,” Magnus says, almost sounding like a promise. “Bye, Alexander.”

“Bye,” Alec mumbles, trying to hide the redness of his body as Magnus walks away.

He shuts the door behind him and leans his back against the cool wood. An uncomfortable heat is centered in the small of his back and he shifts against the door, trying to cool himself down. A small laugh erupts from his chest, sudden and hard as if he has been repressing the sound for awhile. One part of him feels hysterical, but the other is shaken. All of his limbs feel limp as he settles onto his couch, his mind focusing only on one thing: Magnus.

Thoughts of glitter over sharp cheekbones and mesmerizing cat-like eyes evade his mind without permission. He feels his skin finally lose the tingling sensation and heat from a few minutes earlier, but his thoughts are still a jumbled mess. He finds a need to tell someone about Magnus and tries to wander from the thought of why the sudden urge to know Magnus pervades him.

When Jace comes home, Alec immediately begins to spew what is on his mind—all Magnus, of course. All Jace does in response is nod and agree, then finally says, “Jeez, what's gotten into you?”

Alec doesn't justify Jace with his genuine response of “I don't know.”

**_____**

There is a gaming console in Alec’s apartment the next day. Standing in the living room are Izzy and Jace with two big grins on their faces.

“I thought your apartment was boring,” Izzy says as a greeting when Alec walks into the living room, “so I decided my housewarming gift is something fun: a Wii!”

Alec pauses. “What the hell is a Wii?”

Jace rolls his eyes and picks up the unopened box. “This,” he says, drumming his fingers against the package, “is a Wii.”

“We need to divulge in the fun, childhood video games we never got to play,” Izzy says with a shrug of her shoulders. “I got _Super Mario Bros_.”

“I’ve never played,” Alec grumbles, eyeing the box with narrow eyes.. “What if I’m bad at it?”

“I’m counting on the fact that you will be bad at it,” Jace says, grunting as he opens the box with the jagged end of his house key.

Alec glares, but Jace is engulfed in unpackaging the new console while Izzy reads the instruction manual. A part of him wants to bluntly tell them that he is disinterested in video games, but the blatant excitement on their faces prevent him from saying anything. He watches as Jace cheers when the console and all of its necessary cables are poured out onto the coffee table, waiting to be assembled. The two are immersed in setting the system together, dismissing the feeling of dread Alec is sure he is emitting.

“I’ll be in my room,” he says, gesturing toward the hallway. When he receives an exasperated look from Izzy, he stops in his path to his bedroom. “I don’t think I’d really enjoy that, Izzy, not that I don’t appreciate you getting us something for the new apartment.”

“Even though it’s about two months late,” Jace adds, his fingers quickly plugging cables into the back of the television.

Izzy pauses, her face evident that she is thinking hard. “Well, if you're not a fan of Mario, I bought some other games, too,” she offers, dismissing Alec’s protest.

A few minutes later, Alec is sitting on the couch between Izzy and Jace repeatedly losing lives because he keeps forgetting which button correlates with jumping.

**_____**

The morning shift at the bookstore is Alec’s favorite time to work. The store is nearly empty and Dorothea allows him to drink coffee—unlike other times of the day where drinks aside from water are not allowed. For a rumored uptight owner, Dorothea is a sweet lady. His co-workers often tell him she keeps to herself and is always snippy, but he learns how to stay on her good side. Ever since then, Dorothea is nothing but pleasant whenever he works his shifts.

Dorothea’s Books is a quaint store at the end of a small shopping center. Customers are sparse, but there are regulars, people who seem to know Dorothea personally. A woman called Tessa frequents the bookstore on Thursday afternoons, just before Alec’s shift ends. Sometimes, a man Alec has heard Dorothea call Ragnor visits and buys a few books from Dorothea’s infamous restricted section—none of the employees know why those particular books are restricted. But most times, customers buy what is on the shelves, commenting on the old-book-smell and the yellowing pages.

Alec is quite comfortable working in the bookstore. He is usually alone because the store is small enough to be managed by one employee at a time. Dorothea sometimes works beside him behind the counter, but mostly keeps to herself in her upstairs office. On days with special sales where customers are expected to flow in and out, Alec has a co-worker next to him in the confining space in front of the cash register. Other than those days, he is more than content in the solitude of the nearly empty bookstore.

The shift Alec is working now is the morning shift. The time is passing by quicker than he expects to as he delves into one of the books he picks off of a shelf. It is still early in the morning, half past seven o’clock and he does not expect any customers until later in the day. Then, sudden enough to make Alec jump up from his place behind the register, Magnus steps into the empty bookstore with tired eyes and a cup of coffee. When their eyes meet, Magnus seems to be equally as surprised by Alec’s presence. Magus begins to speak when Dorothea saunters down the stairs with an excited yelp.

“Magnus!” she exclaims with a welcoming smile. “It has been a long time. You’ve grown so much since I last saw you.”

“It’s been years,” Magnus agrees, his eyes quickly shifting between Dorothea and Alec. “I wanted to come by and see if the bookstore was still up and running.”

Dorothea nods, her eyes crinkling and her smile becoming larger at the mention of her store. “I’m glad you thought about me and this little ol’ shop,” she says appreciatively. “Are you in town for a while?”

“I’ve actually moved back here,” Magnus informs, his eyes once again glancing at Alec. “I live just a few blocks down from here, actually.”

Dorothea’s eyes widen with excitement. “How wonderful!” she exclaims.

Alec tries to remember if he has ever seen Dorothea so elated. Usually, her demeanor is quiet, instilling a sense of order wherever she goes, but in the presence of Magnus, happiness and lightness replace her usual mood. He smiles to himself when he wonders if this is the effect Magnus has on everyone because as he recalls, he quite enjoyed meeting Magnus for the first time those few days ago.

“I’m glad you’re still you, Dorothea,” he says, smiling. The smile is like the one he gave Alec when they first met: it lifted the apples of his cheeks high and reached his eyes with a slight squint and a few crinkles. “You’ve always been such a good person to be around.”

“As were you, Magnus,” Dorothea returns, a glassy look behind her eyes. “My, you do remind me of your mother. You’re just as beautiful.”

A sad smile replaces the current smile on Magnus’ face. “Thank you,” he murmurs quietly, avoiding eye contact with Dorothea for a moment. “You know, she used to come here everyday.”

“Stealing books and returning them without me knowing,” Dorothea agrees, laughing lightly.

Magnus nods his head, smiling. “I’m sorry, I must be keeping you from something.” He points to the stack of folders Dorothea has in her arms.

“I do need to keep working on some paperwork,” she admits, adjusting the weight of the folders, “but feel free to look around. If you need any help, Mr. Lightwood can assist you. Though, I must say that the store has not changed much since you left.”

“Thank you, Dorothea,” Magnus says with a nod of his head and a smile. He waves her off as she ascends the stairs to her office.

When Dorothea’s footsteps fade, Magnus clears his throat to catch Alec’s attention. Alec snaps his head up from his twiddling thumbs on top of the counter. He offers a nervous smile, but feels his lips twitch into a grimace.

“When you said you worked at a bookstore, this was not the one I thought you worked at,” Magnus says conversationally, stepping closer to the counter Alec is standing behind. “Not that it bothers me.”

Alec shrugs his shoulders, trying to play his nervousness as nonchalance. “I’ve only been working here for a couple of months,” he informs, resting his weight against the counter. “I didn’t know you knew Dorothea.”

“Old family friend,” Magnus answers simply. “I used to live around here as a child, but I moved quite some time ago.”

“Me too,” Alec says, “I moved after high school, though.” The possibility that they may have crossed paths in their childhood sends a thrill up his spine.

“Are you in college, then?” Magnus asks, resting his arms on the counter and leaning his head against his open palms.

For a moment, Alec loses himself in his thoughts, wishing the counter between them to disappear, especially when Magnus’s eyes gleam with a teasing interest. The inappropriateness of his thoughts makes his cheeks flush a light red. He blinks rapidly, trying to shakes himself out of his wishful daydream.

“I graduated last year,” he says, clearing his throat. There is an unnerving silence between them and he rubs the back of his neck roughly. “Well, don't let me stop you from looking around. I'll be here if you need any help.”

Magnus offers a small smile before walking towards the back of the store, hiding between the nearly ceiling-high bookshelves. Alec feels a small flutter in his chest when the realization of Magnus’s presence sinks in. He ponders on his interest in Magnus. He remembers back to a few days prior, looking out the window of his bedroom and seeing Magnus, thinking about his attractiveness and nothing more. Then, speaking to Magnus for the first time rendered him flustered and tripping over every other word. If he confides in Jace his interest in Magnus, he knows all he will receive is a crude joke, followed by the probability of good advice. He decides not to take any chances and keep to himself.

After half an hour passes, Alec realizes Magnus is still hidden amongst the books. He debates leaving the counter to check on Magnus and almost decides against it before curiosity surges through him. The hallway comprised of bookshelves leads him to the back of the store where Alec last saw Magnus turn. In a crevice of the store, Magnus is sitting on the floor against a pile of unshelved books with a book splayed across his chest and eyes soundly closed. For a moment, his thoughts escape him and he stares at the pouted bottom lip and rustled hair that rests on Magnus’s forehead. Even in the morning, Magnus does not fail to line his eyes with a deep, dark color. He shakes himself out of his thoughts, but his gaze is still entrapped by Magnus’s features.

In the end, he decides to wake Magnus up without seeming like he stared for an unnecessarily long time. He gathers his composure, breathing steadily once more before stepping closer to the resting body on the floor.

“Magnus?” he whispers, careful to only let Magnus hear his words and not Dorothea.

When there is no response, he kneels to the floor and reaches a hand to touch Magnus's shoulder. The touch sends a jolt up his arm and down his spine.

In an instant, Magnus startles awake, the book falling from his lap and his flailing hands nearly spilling his cup of coffee. He looks around, first left, then right, and right to Alec’s careful gaze. To Alec’s surprise, Magnus begins to redden at the cheeks as he laughs nervously. He picks up his cup and the book as he stands up in haste.

“I’m sorry,” he says, wincing at the gruffness and sleep in his voice. “I’m sorry.”

Alec blinks, his actions halted. “Why?” The words come out of his mouth without full process and he shakes his head. “I’m sorry, just, don’t worry about it. I won’t tell Dorothea, but I’m sure she wouldn’t mind anyways.”

“I just didn’t get much sleep last night,” Magnus admits, “it’s been difficult getting used to living in a new place.”

Alec sympathizes by nodding his head. “I’m sorry, it’s always rough moving around,” he says with a shrug of his shoulders, “that’s why I’m glad I have Jace with me, he’s like a safety blanket.”

“And all I have is a cat to keep me company,” Magnus jokes, but there’s a tinge of seriousness that covers bitterness.

“I like cats.” _No I don’t._ “They can be good company.” _I’m pretty sure one broke in through the window of my old apartment_.

Magnus smiles at Alec’s efforts to cheer him up. “Well, I am sorry for dozing off here,” he says, a hint of blush still remaining. “I better go.” He returns the book to the shelf and waves a quick goodbye.

Before Alec can reciprocate the goodbye, Magnus is darting through the hall of bookshelves. When he is out of sight, the only indication that Alec is left alone in the bookstore is the sound of the bell slamming against the door as Magnus exits.

Alec stands frozen at the abruptness of Magnus’s departure. Curiosity crawls through him as he notices the book Magnus shoved heedlessly back onto the shelf. The spine is poking through, not aligned with the rest of the books on the shelves. He stops himself from reaching for the book, wondering if he will be crossing any lines by knowing what Magnus’s interest in the book was. Before he can process his actions with a clear mind, his hand is already pulling the book from its haphazardly-thrown place on the shelf.

_The History of Soulmates and Soul-Marks_

The book lies shakily in Alec’s hands as he quickly skims through its contents. Excitement washes over him as he realizes they share a common interest in soulmates. If anything, his want to have someone to talk to about soulmates has more to do with his excitement than his crush on Magnus. Having someone who will genuinely respond to questions and curiosities that he wants to voice is a comforting thought, especially when pitted against the likes of Jace and Izzy, who both dismiss the talk of soulmates at almost all times.

The frenzy in his chest is made apparent when he pulls himself back to reality. He is no longer focusing on the book and is now thinking of Magnus. On the small of his back, he feels a slight prickling sensation and he wishes and he hopes that no tricks are being played on him, that what he feels is his soul-mark light against his skin.

**_____**

The neighborhood is uncharacteristically quiet as Alec comes home from his morning run. The distant sounds of traffic and busy crowds seem more muted than usual. When he glances up, he sees a woman watering potted plants on her balcony and a man reading the newspaper next to his open window. At the end of the street, he notices two boys sitting in the grass, playing a discernable game. There is nothing out of the ordinary, but he still wonders if there is a neighborhood memo he is missing announcing morning quaintness.

He mentions the odd silence throughout their neighborhood to Jace.

“I don’t know,” Jace answers with a shrug of his shoulders, “but whatever it is, I’m glad it’s happening. Have you noticed that no one new has moved in either? It’s like the universe decided to give us a break or at least an entire night of good sleep.”

Alec laughs, nodding his head in agreement. “Yeah, I guess I just found it a little strange. Maybe it’s something I’ve never noticed before, though.”

“Well, you’re the one who decides to wake at the crack of dawn for a run,” Jace says, taking a sip from his mug of coffee. “We’ve only been living here for a short while, anyways. Maybe it’s just one of those things you haven’t paid attention to until now.”

“Like you said, the silence is nice,” Alec says, finalizing their conversation about the sudden shift in neighborhood behavior.

Sundays are days when Alec can get a good rest. He lazes around the apartment, reading books and even trying his hand at the game console Izzy bought; he is not surprised when he is no better at the video games than the last time. At noon, Alec decides to take a nap, but before he can settle onto the couch, a knock resonates throughout the apartment. Jace is with Clary, spending his late morning at an impromptu brunch they decided three minutes before he left the apartment. Alec is taking note of how frequent Jace’s visits to Clary are now, but he never mentions it in conversation.

In the middle of an uneventful game of _Wii Sports: Golf_ , a knock resonates throughout the apartment, surprising Alec into dropping the controller. He calls out, asking for his visitor to wait as he turns off his television and the console. When he reaches the door, Magnus is standing on the other side with a cat on his shoulder and a feather duster clutched in one hand.

“Can I take you up on that offer of help?” Magnus asks, almost desperately as the cat tries to wriggle out of his grasp.

Alec shifts his eyes from Magnus to the cat, pursing his lips to prevent him from smiling. “I’d be happy to help.”

Two weeks have passed since Alec and Magnus first met. Alec holds back the question of why Magnus is not settled into his home yet. Instead, he eyes the cat who is nuzzling into Magnus’s chest.

“This is Chairman Meow,” Magnus introduces, holding the cat steadily as it tries to perch onto his shoulder, “he’s a bit rowdy at the moment because I accidentally broke his scratching post last night.” As if the cat understands him, he meows in anger against Magnus’s chest.

“Chairman Meow?” Alec repeats, a corner of his lip twitching up into a smile. Magnus nods shyly while Chairman Meow purrs softly. “Can I hold him?”

“Sure, but he gets frightened quite easily, so be careful,” Magnus warns as he places the cat into Alec’s arms. Chairman Meow immediately snuggles into Alec’s chest, purring lowly. “Well, it’s like all those birthday parties I threw him are out the window. He loves you!”

“You throw birthday parties for your cat?” Alec asks, grinning at the thought of the extravagant parties Magnus have thrown in celebration of his cat. When Magnus nods his head slowly, Alec’s smile widens. “That’s nice of you. My sister and I had a dog when we were younger and she used to throw parties for her all the time. The birthday party was the biggest one.” The memory of seven-year old Izzy chasing around their dog with a birthday hat stirs a fondness in his chest.

Magnus reciprocates the smile gently. “She sounds lovely,” he comments, nodding his head. “Your dog must have loved her.”

“She’s easy to love,” Alec agrees. In his arms, he feels Magnus’s cat fall limp, eyes closed and tail curled in. “Anyway, what is it you need help with?”

“Right,” Magnus says, staring at Chairman Meow fast asleep in Alec’s arms, “I was wondering if you could help me arrange where my furniture goes. I underestimated the weight of it all.”

Alec nods, glancing behind him at the mess of his own apartment. “Of course.”

Magnus peers over Alec’s shoulder and raises an eyebrow. “Are you sure? If you need to clean your apartment, I don’t want to bother you.”

“I wasn’t cleaning,” Alec insists, shaking his head, “I was more lounging.” He gestures to the television and Magnus nods his head with a knowing look.

“I mean, since you’ve offered to help me, I can always help you,” Magnus offers, “whenever you need it.”

Alec smiles appreciatively. “Thank you,” he says, “but I’ll help you with your furniture right now.”

Magnus smiles with relief as he gestures Alec to follow him to his apartment. When Alec enters the apartment, he is taken aback by the contrast it has to his own apartment. He looks around the room, finding stacks upon stacks of books—his mind flashes to the quiet morning of a couple of weeks ago, finding Magnus snoring away in the back of Dorothea’s store. There is clutter all around him, but placed carefully as if there is a system to Magnus’s chaos. Paintings are hung straight on several walls and vases and flower pots are scattered around on the coffee table, side tables, and counters. In all his personal belongings, he is surprised to find that Magnus found the time to invest in a rug that is slid under the living room set.

Two couches sit in the middle of the living room, taking up the most space inside the small apartment. Despite the design of the apartment being alike in design to Alec’s home, the comfortableness is what surprises him. For someone who has just arrived, Magnus quickly sorted through his boxes and placed all his furniture accordingly.

“It is a little crowded,” Alec says. Chairman Meow scurries out of his arms, the patter of his feet fading as he turns into an open door in the hallway.

“I have to admit, I do have a lot of stuff,” Magnus starts, chuckling, “but I do promise that all of this fit wonderfully in my previous home. Though, I guess I’m not in my old home anymore.”

Alec frowns at the vulnerability and sadness following Magnus’s words. “You don't need to get rid of everything,” he says, swiping a hand on the surface of a side table, “I'm sure we can find a way to make everything fit. And if not, we'll just shove what's left in a storage place. You don't have to let go of things if you don't want to.”

Magnus stares at Alec with wide eyes and a smile playing at his lips. “Thank you,” he stammers, “that's a sweet thing to say, Alexander.”

Alec pretends to be unaware of the way his breath catches as he hears Magnus saying his name. What he cannot ignore, however, is the tingling is his soul-mark as he sees the corners of Magnus’s lips tug into a gentle smile. He stumbles onto the couch, hoping he did not seem too dramatic about the action. His breathing quickens as his soul-mark pulses harshly.

“Are you okay?” Magnus asks. His steps are heavy as he takes a cautious step towards Alec, but still keeping a distance between them. The closeness of Magnus lessens the ache of his soul-mark.

“Sorry, I just got light-headed,” he lies, gritting his teeth. His soul-mark suddenly stings with a new kind of pain, making him wince aloud and capture the attention of Magnus, who is already wide-eyed and near panic.

“Should I call someone?” Magnus asks, scrambling through the pockets of his jeans for his phone.

“No!” The sudden volume of Alec’s voice makes both of them startle and freeze. “Sorry, sorry. I just have a bruise on my back that I hit on the back of your couch.” The second lie makes his soul-mark prickle intensely. He tries to put on a facade, plastering an uneasy smile on his face.

“Oh, do you want some ice?” Magnus offers. His eyes shift away from Alec, but he does not hide a look that says, “You’re definitely lying, but I won’t say anything.”

“I’m fine,” Alec insists, holding out a hand to reassure Magnus. “We should start moving the furniture around, maybe start with the television stand.”

Magnus nods slowly, moving towards the television. “It’s not plugged in yet. Can you help me move it down?” The words are cautious as if he is afraid of saying something wrong.

“Yeah,” he murmurs. He walks towards Magnus, taking the other side of the television. “I’m sorry. About earlier, I mean.”

Magnus offers an indecisive smile. “Don’t worry. We all have those days.”

Alec wonders what he means. The words can seem comforting, but they can also imply that he knows Alec is dealing with the sting of his soul-mark. A part of him desperately craves knowing if Magnus is dealing with his soul-mark as well. When the prolonged silence is broken by the roughness of Magnus clearing his throat, Alec smiles, unsure but genuine. Magnus tries to smile in return, but both of them are weary of each other. His soul-mark calls for attention, stinging as it tries to lessen the space between him and Magnus. Instead, he focuses on the task at hand, ignoring the pleas of his obnoxious soul-mark.

“Let’s get started,” Alec says, inhaling deeply. He tries not to think about how Magnus is not having the same visceral reaction to his soul-mark.

**_____**

Soul-marks carry a weight in the world. Children grow up hoping and fantasizing about meeting their soulmates, only to have their dreams crushed by being told of the slim chance they will ever meet their soulmate. Alec refuses to believe he will never meet his soulmate and he thinks he is right in doing so because in this moment, he has an inkling that he is sitting in the living room of his said soulmate.

After an hour of Alec methodically trying to place Magnus’s furniture, the two decide to take a rest from a seemingly fruitless effort. The two couches seem to plague the apartment; only one can fit in the apartment, but Alec is determined to make the room—if not for Magnus’s sake, at least for his own sanity. Unfortunately, he never sees his determination become fruition because his soul-mark starts to burn for the fourth time in that one hour. The difference this time is he lets out a small whimper that catches Magnus’s attention and worry. Magnus forces Alec to take a rest, offering him food and water.

“Are you hurting again?” Magnus asks, sitting next to Alec.

Alec tries to dismiss the tug at his chest at Magnus’s worry. His soul-mark is responding to Magnus’s close proximity by lessening the sting. “No, I must just be tired,” he murmurs, wincing when his soul-mark pangs with pain at the lie.

Just like his soul-mark, Magnus easily detects the lie. To Alec’s surprise, Magnus does not confront him about the lie and offers a smile instead. “We can take a break if you like.” Magnus rests a comforting hand on Alec’s shoulder and his soul-mark dulls the ache.

The reaction Alec’s soul-mark has to Magnus only confirms Alec’s hope of finding his soulmate. He nearly bursts into a full confession when his mind backtracks him and settles him down. He thinks back to his previous experiences with his soul-mark and tries to remember how Magnus reacted in those moments. The memories of Magnus’s reaction are overshadowed by the ghostly pain of his soul-marks sting. A twinge in his chest urges him to tell Magnus that they are soulmates, but his conscious falters in the action. The confliction rages inside of him as time passes with him and Magnus sitting quietly in the living room.

“Let’s take a break,” Alec mumbles, agreeing to Magnus’s earlier offer. “My sister bought me and Jace a Wii. It’s a little childish, but it’s fun.”

Magnus tilts his head in confusion, then gives a heartwarming smile. “That sounds like a good way to spend a break.” The honest kindness warms Alec, his body forgetting the fading throb of his soul-mark.

Alec stands with Magnus close to his side. He makes an awkward gesture towards the front door and strides widely to his apartment. He is not looking at Magnus, but he can hear his heavily dragged footsteps following suit behind him.

When they reach Alec’s apartment, Jace is lounging on the couch. Jace pops open one eye at the sound of the door unlocking and swinging open. He looks between Alec and Magnus before closing his eye once again and presuming his relaxation.

“Jace,” Alec calls, clearing his throat to grab Jace’s attention, “get off the couch. Magnus and I are going to play on the Wii.”

Jace opens his eyes and stretches upward into a sitting position. He raises an eyebrow and barks out a laugh. “What, you want one more person on the record of beating your ass at video games?”

Alec bites his tongue, not wanting to snap at Jace. A blush intensifies in his cheeks and he rubs at the back of his neck. “Don’t believe anything he says,” he grumbles to Magnus, “I’m good at video games.”

Jace laughs once more, shaking his head with disbelief. “You’re believing a lie,” he tells Magnus with an assured expression. Alec frowns disapprovingly at him, but he only shrugs his shoulders and walks into the kitchen. From the kitchen, he mouths, “Do you want me to leave you two alone?” Alec pretends he does not notice the wriggle in Jace’s eyebrows as he nods in response.

“I’m going to hang out with Clary,” Jace announces, nodding his head firmly. “I’ll probably come home with pizza, so don’t go anywhere, Magnus.” He slides on a jacket and grabs his phone and house keys, indiscreetly winking at Alec every time he thinks Magnus is not looking.

“It depends on if it’s Hawaiian,” Magnus says with a grin.

Jace’s face contorts into disgust. “You two are perfect for each other. You both have terrible taste in pizza.” He leaves with a slam of the door, but Alec notices the smug look on his face before he completely disappears.

Magnus tenses at Jace’s words and Alec curses Jace colorfully in his thoughts. The situation becomes more strained than it previously had been thanks to Jace’s completely unnecessary comment. He wonders if he is supposed to be increasingly awkward around his soulmate; he imagined the entire process to be easier and more relaxed.

“Do you want something to drink?” Alec offers, trying to diffuse the tension. “We have water and coffee. I think we also have some tea?”

“I’m fine, thanks for asking,” Magnus says, stilted.

 

“I’m sorry about what Jace said,” Alec blurts, “if that made you uncomfortable. He kind of just says things without thinking sometimes.”

“I’m sorry if I made it seem like I was uncomfortable,” Magnus says, shaking his head, “I was just surprised by what he said.”

Alec smiles apologetically. “In his own convoluted way, Jace is comfortable talking about soulmates.”

“Convoluted?” Magnus asks with a twitch at the corner of his lips.

“Well, he doesn’t really believe in waiting for soulmates, but he jokes about soulmates all the time,” Alec explains. “He’s one of those people that’s comfortable with never finding their soulmate, I guess.”

Magnus nods his head understandingly. “I respect that,” he murmurs, biting his lower lip. “Sometimes, I wish I could be the same.”

The honesty surprises Alec into snapping his head into Magnus’s direction. “Me, too,” he says hoarsely, “they make it seems so easy. Jace and Izzy and everyone else. It’s hard for me to let go of my soulmate, I guess.”

“I think soulmates give us a reason to hope,” Magnus says. His eyes are flickering between Alec and anything else in the apartment. “At least, the thought of meeting my soulmate gives me hope.”

Alec nods vigorously, eyes wide and excited at talking about soulmates. “Yes, yeah,” he stammers, “I wish I can know who my soulmate is, but I know it’s really against the odds.” _But you’re my soulmate, aren’t you_? The question is left out of his sentence; he tries to shake the thought from his mind, but fails.

Magnus clears his throat, blinking rapidly. The flutter of his eyelashes encaptures Alec’s attention. When Magnus’s eyes meet with Alec’s gaze, he offers an easy, crooked smile. The room settles into an air of comfortableness as they both openly talk about the suppressed topic of soulmates.

“So, you have a Wii?” Magnus asks, driving the focus of the conversation to a less substantially cumbersome subject.

“Yeah,” he answers in a low murmur, “Izzy bought a lot of games.” He gestures toward a shelf holding all of the video games Izzy purchased along with the gaming console.

Magnus makes his way to the shelf, his eyes flickering from Alec quickly before focusing on the games. Alec watches as Magnus’s slender fingers run over the spine of each game until they fall onto one he finds interesting. Magnus drags a game from the shelf, squinting his eyes as he reads the information on the game. Alec moves in closer, stealing a glance at the game in Magnus’s hands. When he sees which game has peaked Magnus’s interest, he almost winces aloud.

“Bowling seems fun,” Magnus says, turning to Alec with the game in hand. “Is this difficult?”

Alec shrugs and grimaces, hoping Magnus does not notice the disdain in the choice of game. “It is if you’re terrible at video games like I am,” he jokes, laughing bitterly.

Magnus smiles, tossing the game into Alec’s hands. “I was never much for video games growing up,” he says, waving his hand dismissively, “I was more of a ‘sit down with a nice cup of hot chocolate and read’ kind of kid.”

“Me too,” Alec responds almost eagerly. His excitement in finding something in common with Magnus flushes his cheeks red. “I mean, I guess you could tell since I work at a bookstore.”

“It’s nice to find someone that’s terrible at video games and good with books,” Magnus says, walking over to the couch and plopping himself down.

Alec is unsure of what to say in return, so he nods his head and turns his back on Magnus to switch on the television and console. He can almost feel the way Magnus is staring at his back as he slides the disc into the console. He is hugely aware of his soul-mark now, but not because it is tingling or burning, but because he feels as if Magnus is staring at it as if he can see through the fabric of his shirt. He hurriedly grabs two controllers and turns to face Magnus once more, offering a nervous smile as he takes a seat next to Magnus on the couch. The room fills with the sound of the console starting up and they both relax.

Alec is uncomfortable in the silence, mostly annoyed at himself for not knowing what to say. He hands Magnus a controller, refraining the want to lightly trace his fingers against Magnus’s hands. The gap between them is nearly closed, but Alec is afraid of the reaction he might elicit from Magnus. If by pure luck, Magnus shifts ever-so-slightly closer and their knees bump together. Alec feels his hand sweating as he grips onto the controller.

In a desperate attempt to rid the tension in the room, Alec raspily asks, “You said you wanted to bowl?”

Magnus nods with a pursed smile. “I’m quite good at it in real life, not so sure about a video game, though,” he jokes, waving the controller in the air.

Before Alec can respond, his throat dries up on him. In fear of embarrassing himself further, he decides against speaking. Instead, he stands up as a game of bowling flashes onto the television screen.

“Best of luck,” Magnus says, rising to stand with Alec. When Alec only grunts and nods, Magnus playfully bumps his shoulder against Alec’s side. “Come on, you can’t be that terrible.”

“I think I’m actually quite good at this game,” Alec grumbles, frowning.

Magnus laughs, nodding his head. “I believe you. I won’t believe Jace until I see how good you are with my own two eyes.”

Alec’s lips waver into a nervous smile. Then, he focuses his attention on the television screen, hoping not to be too distracted by Magnus’s presence. “I think I’m first.”

When Alec swings the controller to mimic throwing a bowling ball, he only knocks down two pins. A beat of silence passes until Magnus lets out a snorting laugh.

“Rocky start,” Magnus says, stifling another laugh.

“I’ll like to see you get any better,” Alec challenges. He tries to hide the smile creeping onto his lips.

By the end of the match, Magnus deftly defeats him with a score consisting of nearly all strikes. Alec is neither angry nor envious of the difference in scores, but rather happy and heart-filled when he sees the triumphant smile gracing Magnus’s lips.

“I can’t believe you rolled the ball into the gutter twice in a row!” Magnus exclaims, laughing in-between gasping breaths. “You’d think that’s something you can’t do in a video game!”

“You’re the worst,” Alec groans, throwing his controller onto the couch. “What ever happened to just being a gracious and _quiet_ winner?” The smile on his lips defeats any shred of seriousness.

Magnus shakes his head, holding his hand up in mercy. “I’m sorry,” he says, still smiling. Then, he glances at the wall clock and his eyes go wide. “Wow, I should probably be heading home. I need to feed Chairman Meow before he decides to eat one of my slippers again.”

“Do you want to continue with the living room tomorrow, then?” Alec asks, turning the television and the game console off. He walks Magnus to the door, flinching his hand away when he realizes he almost reaches around Magnus’s waist. “I’m always happy to help.”

“I’m lucky to have such a good neighbor,” Magnus teases, chuckling lowly, “but don’t you have work tomorrow?”

Alec tries to not act as deflated as he feels. “Right,” he murmurs, nodding his head. He tries not think about how Magnus knows when he works. “Well, if I’m not tired by the end of my shift, which I most likely will not be, you can always come by and see if I’m home.”

“Maybe I’ll force your roommate into doing my bidding next?” Magnus jokes, leaning against the open front door.

There is a sudden strain in Alec’s chest that he frowns at. The unsureness of whether Magnus is joking or serious pulls at his heart and sits in the back of his mind uneasily. He refuses to admit he feels jealous that Magnus might ask Jace to help him with his apartment. He deems that being jealous of his best friend is ridiculous, but cannot offer a genuine smile as Magnus begins to walk to his apartment.

“Have a nice night,” Alec says, trying not to grumble the words through gritted teeth.

“Good night, Alexander.” Magnus is already opening his apartment’s door, on the other side, there is an angry mewling noise. “I hope I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Alec feels his heart fluttering, then the urgency of his soul-mark on his lower back overcomes him. He steps back into his apartment and leans against the door to close it with a loud slam. The want to know whether he and Magnus are soulmates eats away inside of him as he tries to recollect his thoughts. His mind is in sporadic places, trying to find any information he has collected over the years on soulmates and soul-marks. He only knows his soul-mark reacts to Magnus’s presence; the reaction itself is almost a surefire reason to believe Magnus is his soulmate, but he doubts himself still. He spends an unknown amount of time leaning his body like a dead weight against the front door before Jace is struggling through the doorway with pizzas in hand.

“Did he leave?” Jace asks, frowning as he sets his keys and the pizzas on the kitchen counter. “I can’t believe he left. I hate Hawaiian pizza.”

Alec leaves out his response of “Me too.”

**_____**

The last person Alec expects soulmate advice from is Dorothea.

Ever since Magnus visited the bookstore and took an interest in the soulmate section, Alec finds himself lingering in the back of the store more often. The spine of the books all inform on soulmates, but he is not sure where to begin. He finds the book that Magnus picked up on his visit, but it talks of what he already knows: soulmates are a concept, barely a reality.

The only experiences he has with soulmates are from occasional strangers. No one in his family that he knows of are or were soulmates. His mother and father are not soulmates. He recalls the conversation that his parents had with him and Izzy as they were no older than eight, telling them that soulmates are a special wonder in the world, special enough to be rare, but what is not rare is love. Love is a feeling that anyone can feel for anyone, regardless of soulmates or not. His parents are not soulmates, but they are in love. He understood that from the beginning, but he wishes things were different. He wants to know his soulmate; he wants to love his soulmate.

With that memory fresh in his mind, Alec begins to wonder about Magnus and the conversation they had the other day. Soulmates seem to be a concept Magnus believes in and thinks of seriously. They both share the hope of meeting their soulmate and the burden of not knowing how to deal with the reality that they may never meet their respective soulmates. He wonders why he did not say anything to Magnus about what he has been feeling not only in his heart, but with his soul-mark, in that moment.

He wants to know more about soul-marks, but he can barely find reliable sources. Most of the books he finds on the shelves are written by authors that have not met their soulmates. Many of the books he comes across are biased and passive aggressive toward soulmates. The reality that many people are not on good terms with the concept of soulmates makes his chest twinge.

Then, he comes across books that are written by mated authors. The books vary from first impressions, different feelings of the soul-mark, how to know and understand the soul-mark, how to know someone’s soulmate is in near proximity, and more.

The first book he finds intriguing is _Soul-Marks and What to Expect_ , a modern book with fairly recent stories from soulmates and the attraction to each other’s soul-marks. Almost all couples explain the tingling, burning sensation of their soul-marks whenever they were in near-proximity of each other. The couples explain that their soul-marks stopped reacting when both people in the relationship came to terms with being soulmates as if the soul-marks are sentient of that fact.

In another book called _The Explanation of Soul-Marks_ , the author describes the function of the soul-mark. The author says it is the only way to indicate who a person’s soulmate is. The soul-mark is mysterious, there is no substantial scientific fact that ties into its workings. From the author’s personal experience, the soul-mark seems to know when her soulmate was near. When she denied the fact that the person could possibly be her soulmate, the soul-mark’s call intensified with a burning and prickling sensation. The only way the pain and sensations subdued were by admitting to herself that she found her soulmate, then realizing this idea with her soulmate.

A book simply titled _Soul-Marks_ tells Alec that soul-marks are never wrong, whatever the sensation may be. Whether the sensation is the popular burning sensation or something else; if it is related to the soul-mark, it is a true connection to a person’s soulmate.

Even after the introduction to newfound information on soul-marks, Alec is still wary of Magnus being his soulmate. Magnus seemed to not reciprocate feelings in anyway. Whenever Alec feels the sensations of his soul-mark, Magnus is unfazed. In all of the books he looked in, he found no experiences similar to his. Each pair of soulmates felt a pull to each other through their soul-marks.

“Something wrong?”

The voice makes Alec jump and drop the book onto his foot. He turns to find Dorothea standing behind him with her arms crossed and an eyebrow cocked.

“I’m sorry, Dorothea,” Alec says, hurriedly picking the book up from the floor, “I know I’m supposed to be at the front.” He slams the book back onto the shelf, hoping that he returned to its rightful place.

“Don’t be in such a hurry, dear,” Dorothea says, holding her hands out cautiously. “You’re not in any trouble.”

Alec looks at her with furrowed brows. “I’m not?”

Dorothea shakes her head, resting her hands on her hips. A gentle smile forms on her lips as she glances over the books that Alec has been reading through. “Have you found your soulmate?”

Alec is taken aback, unsure of what to say. “I, I don’t know,” he stammers, “I mean, I’m not sure.”

“Why aren’t you sure?” Dorothea asks calmly. Her expression shows no confusion, only genuine curiosity.

“He doesn’t seem to act like anything is happening to him,” Alec mumbles, instinctively touching his soul-mark. “It’s like he doesn’t feel his soul-mark at all.”

“And you’ve felt your soul-mark?” she prods, gesturing to Alec’s lower back, completely aware of his soul-mark.

Alec nods slowly. “I’m afraid to say anything,” he admits quietly. The admission is like a weight of his chest. He wants to tell someone he is afraid without any repercussions. Despite the countless amount of support he will always receive from Jace and Izzy, the topic of soulmates is a great exception.

“Why?” Dorothea asks. “Are you afraid that your soul-mark is wrong? Or are you afraid that your feelings are not mutual?”

“Are soulmates supposed to be some kind of epic love?” Alec asks instead of answering her questions. “I don’t know what to expect. I can’t just learn things about soulmates from books.”

“You’re right,” she agrees, nodding her head wistfully, “you learn from experience.”

The words ring in Alec’s ears. “Are you speaking from experience?”

“An experience from long ago,” she answers, a sad smile donning her tough and tired features. “Just know this, soulmates are precious. If you have met yours, I encourage you to do something about it.”

“But it’s like he doesn’t even realize we could be soulmates,” Alec repeats again, trying not to sound exasperated and tired.

“You never know,” she insists, “maybe you haven’t been paying close enough attention. When your soul-mark calls to you, do you focus on anything or anyone else but that?”

Alec pauses and thinks for a moment. Usually, when his soul-mark starts to tingle, his mind is focused on the feeling, not his surroundings. He is aware that Magnus is near him, but is he aware of what Magnus is feeling or doing? The question has no answer and he becomes upset, yet filled to the brim with hope.

“I want to tell him,” he says, determined.

Dorothea smiles brightly, her eyes crinkling with genuine joy. “I hope you do.”

“I will,” he finalizes, nodding his head firmly.

**_____**

Attention is something Alec never seeked as a child. He preferred to stay hidden and camouflaged by the crowd. During class presentations, he would feign sickness as many times as he possibly could. When he was deemed valedictorian of his graduating class, he politely declined to the surprise of many faculty members. He would do anything to avoid the stares and gazes of crowds of people.

Growing up, he is more comfortable with attention, or so he thought. He never realized how intimidating Jace’s methodic silence and Izzy’s piercing glare could be when combined. The two pairs of eyes resting on him make him shift uncomfortably in his seat. He thinks too late that his actions are a severe mistake.

“What do you mean you think you found your soulmate?” Izzy demands. Her arms are crossed over her chest and one hip is cocked out. “This is serious, you can’t be messing around because you want a soulmate, Alec!”

Alec tries not to be flippant in his behavior at the accusation of pretending to find his soulmate. “I found my soulmate, I know I did.”

Jace looks at him carefully, his brow furrowing in confusion as he tries to understand the situation in front of him. “Who do you think it is?”

“I _know_ it’s Magnus,” Alec says in defiance, huffing.

“Magnus?” Jace repeats, his eyes wide. He does not look so much in disbelief as he does in surprise. “Our neighbor? Our neighbor that’s only been living here for about three weeks?”

“Yes, _that_ Magnus,” Alec deadpans, narrowing his eyes. “How long I’ve known him for has nothing to do with knowing he’s my soulmate. You know that’s not how it works, or you would if you ever gave soulmates a chance.” He says the last phrase under his breath, but knows Izzy and Jace hear it loud and clear.

All Alec receives are two incredulous stares.

“I know we're soulmates!” Alec cries, throwing his hands up in defeat.

“How?” Izzy asks, staring him down with a glinted glare. “When?”

“I knew when he kicked my ass at _Wii Bowling_ ”—he holds a hand up and glares when Jace holds back a stinted laugh—“and we had this moment where something just clicked.”

“That doesn't mean he's your soulmate,” Jace inserts, “it could just mean it finally clicked that you suck at _Wii Sports_.”

“This isn’t the time for jokes, Jace!” Alec and Izzy both simultaneously say, hands on hips and eyes narrowed.

Jace raises his eyebrows and rolls his eyes. “I don’t know what to say,” he mumbles, shrugging his shoulders, “you know how I feel about soulmates. I don’t think I’ll ever find my soulmate and I never even thought I would meet somebody who knows their soulmate. I just don’t know what to think. You have to admit that this is kind of a big deal.”

“I know it’s a big deal,” Alec exasperates, “this is why I’m telling you guys before I tell him. Because you guys are important to me, okay? I’m telling both of you that I know my soulmate even though both of you would have probably laughed in my face if it wasn’t for the fact that you guys just hate the idea of soulmates so much.”

“We don’t hate soulmates,” Izzy whispers, almost too quietly to be heard. “Jace is right. _You’re_ right. This is huge. I’ve never known someone who found their soulmate, at least not someone I’m so close to. I don’t know how to react.”

“I can’t tell you how to react,” Alec says, “because I don’t even know what I would say if one of you told me that you found your soulmate. I would definitely be more happy than you guys are right now, but I mean, it would still shock me.”

“I don’t know if I believe it,” Izzy says. She quiets herself by pursing her lips.

“What do you mean you ‘don’t believe it’?” Alec asks, frowning. “Soulmates aren’t some myth, Izzy. Soulmates are _real_ and anyone can meet their soulmate, even though it’s a slim chance, but it’s a chance nonetheless. Why can’t you just accept that?”

The three of them sink into silence once more. Izzy’s demeanor softens and Jace looks into the distance, deep in thought. Alec wonders what is going through both of their heads.

“I believe you,” Jace murmurs suddenly, breaking the deafening silence. “You seem to know that he’s your soulmate and that’s enough for me to believe you.”

Alec searches for a lie, but instead finds genuine understanding in his friend. “Thanks, Jace,” he mumbles, giving a grateful grin. He turns to Izzy hopefully, rubbing the back of his neck until he feels it heat.

Izzy stares around the room, refusing to meet with either Alec or Jace’s gaze. Alec tries to suppress the disappointment in her lack of response, but his chest clenches tightly at not having his sister’s support.

“Do you think Magnus knows?” Jace asks when Izzy fails to say anything.

Alec shakes his head, turning from Izzy’s reluctant stance to Jace’s sympathetic smile. “I don’t know how to tell him. He hasn’t said anything yet either.” His response seems to shake his sister into speaking once more.

“Then how are you so sure?” Izzy demands, frowning deeply. “If he hasn’t said anything–”

“It’s not like I’ve said anything to him either!” he interrupts, pinching the bridge of his nose with two fingers. “I asked Dorothea about it.”

“Your boss?” Jace asks, eyebrow raised. “What does she know about soulmates?”

“She has one,” Alec mumbles, “or she had one, I guess.”

The room is struck into a silence. Jace is facing down, eyebrows furrowing as he tries to wrap his head around the concept of losing a soulmate. Izzy has her mouth in a tight line, eyes hard and shoulders tensed. Neither of them says as a word as Alec sits down on the coffee table and puts his head in his hands.

“This is more stressful than I thought it would be,” Alec mumbles wryly, shaking his head and pulling his hair. He tries to laugh, but only a discouraged sigh escapes him.

“I’m sorry.” Alec’s head shoots up from his hands, pretending to not be surprised by Izzy’s stilted but genuine apology. Izzy walks to sit next to him on the coffee table, slinging an arm around his shoulder and resting her head against his neck. “I’m a terrible sister. I _should_ be happy for you. It’s just, you know how I feel about soulmates, how I felt about them for the all my life.”

“You’re not a terrible sister,” Alec murmurs, shaking his head vehemently. “I know how you feel about soulmates, but this wasn’t something I wanted to hide from you; this isn’t something I can hide from you.”

“I know,” Izzy says, sniffling, “I’m sorry that I’m so defensive when it comes to soulmates. I just want to make sure that you know for certain that this guy is your soulmate. I don’t want you to get hurt, Alec.”

Alec smiles, soothing his sister by rubbing his hand back and forth on her arm. “I’m so sure he’s my soulmate, Izzy,” he mumbles, pulling Izzy closer, “I just hope that whatever this soul-mark is trying to tell me is right.”

Izzy becomes still in Alec’s arm and pulls away, looking with wide eyes at him. “Your soul-mark?” she repeats, the word almost foreign as she speaks it slowly.

“Yeah,” Alec says, brow furrowing as he looks at his sister confusingly, “my soul-mark starts burning whenever I’m near him. We learned that in school, didn’t we? And I read it a lot of the books that are in Dorothea’s store. They all said that soul-marks react when you’re close to your soulmate, it’s the way it tells you that your soulmate is near, apparently.”

“No, I know that,” Izzy says, nodding her head dismissively, “you just never talk about your soul-mark. The last time you brought it up was when we were maybe ten or eleven?”

Alec feels a chill rise through his spine as he stares blankly at Izzy. His mind files through his memories, trying to recall when he had talked about his soul-mark at such a young age. “I don’t remember?” The words come out as a frustrated question.

“I do,” Jace says. Izzy and Alec both turn their heads to look at him. “We got lost when we were riding our bikes. We stopped at a park to ask someone to help us get back home, but the park was empty, so we just waited until somebody came by. Then, someone did: a kid our age, maybe a little older. He gave us directions back to the park that we used to live next to.”

Alec is taken aback by the sudden memory flushing into his mind. The memory is now vivid: he remembers racing his bike with Jace and leaving Izzy angry and trailing behind them, then suddenly, he takes a sharp turn onto an unknown street. He and Jace are so caught up in their race that they did not realize that they had turned onto one too many streets. Izzy finally catches up them with tears in her eyes as she cries about wanting to go home. Alec leads her to a park bench, saying that he will ask the next person for directions home. Then, he remembers the boy that had walked up to them.

Another rush of emotions floods through Alec as he recalls the features of the boy. The boy is tall for his age, standing a few significant inches taller than Alec. His hair is styled wildly and a thick line of black covers his waterline. When Alec asks directions to the park near their home, the boy points in a general direction and starts to give directions, but he can only focus on the sudden burn of his soul-mark. The boy seems unfazed as he gestures with his hands, still giving detailed directions for the way home. Then, Jace thanks him and the boy is stamping away, feet loud and hard against the ground as he trails deeper into the park.

“I remember that,” Alec says, nodding his head. He does not realize that he is shaking until Izzy grips his shoulders tightly to keep him still.

Izzy continues the story by saying, “We asked you what was wrong on the way back because you were behind us which was unusual. You just said that your back was hurting, but Jace and I were worried so we stopped to check. When we realized that you most likely meant your soul-mark was hurting, we didn’t know what to say. We told you that it was your soul-mark and it looked like you wanted to ask what we all knew you wanted to ask, but you didn’t. You just stayed quiet.”

Alec remembers what he convinced himself not to ask Izzy and Jace. “Was he my soulmate?” he murmurs quietly, gnawing on his bottom lip.

“He could have been,” Jace answers, his voice small and rough.

“Magnus told me that he moved back here from when he was younger,” Alec says, remembering the conversation he had with Magnus at the bookstore.

“It could have been Magnus,” Izzy says. The words of support earn her a shocked look from both Alec and Jace. “It’s a plausible theory. We were all too young to know what soulmates and soul-marks really meant. Maybe Magnus didn’t know what it meant then either.”

Alec is pulled back from reminiscing and into the reality of the situation. He is bombarded with the fact that Magnus seems to be completely unaware of his own soul-mark and has had no similar reaction to Alec’s experience with his soul-mark in his presence. “Well, he might not have known what it meant back then, but what about now?”

“He probably has a reason,” Jace offers, shrugging his shoulders. He tries to comfort Alec by resting a hand on his knee, smiling crookedly. “You’ll never know if you don’t talk to him, though.”

“I know that he’s my soulmate,” Alec repeats once more, “but what if he rejects me or doesn’t believe me?”

Izzy shakes her head, standing up and placing both her hands on Alec’s shoulders. “He will not reject you,” she says with an air of determination, “but if he does, he doesn’t deserve you.”

Jace nods in agreement. “You deserve a lot, Alec, especially a soulmate that cares about you.”

Alec sighs, his chest relieved of an immense weight. “I love you guys,” he mumbles, pulling both of them into a hug. “I don’t know what I would do without both of you.”

“Even if we were complete jerks?” Jace asks. “Well, one of us was being a complete jerk.”

Despite not being able to see Izzy, Alec knows that she is giving Jace an intense glare for his offhanded comment. When they pull back from each other, Alec is smiling wider than he has in a while. Izzy takes his hands into hers and gives a worried smile.

“I think you should tell him right now,” Izzy says with Jace nodding supportively next to her, “if he’s home, I mean.”

Alec is about to protest, trying to postpone the moment of his life he has been waiting for since he learned about soulmates at a young age. Before he can make a terrible excuse and hide in his room, Jace says, “The worst thing that will happen is that Magnus is not your soulmate. And though that might hurt for you, it won’t be the end of the world because we’re still here for you.”

“We’re not your soulmate, but we love you just the same,” Izzy says, opening her arms for a brief hug. She leans into his ear and whispers, “If he hurts you, I’ll kick his ass.”

Alec pulls back from the hug with a laugh. “I love you,” he says endearingly, shaking his head, “both of you.”

“Go get your guy,” Jace says, patting Alec on the back and pushing him towards the door.

“We’ll be waiting for you here,” Izzy assures, waving him off as he hesitantly opens the front door. “Remember, whatever happens, we’ll be here for you.”

“Through thick and thin!” Jace shouts as Alec closes the door behind him.

The hallway seems longer than usual, a slight chill raising the hair on his arms. He stares at Magnus’s door, trying to find the courage to knock. He slowly walks to the door, raising his arm and clenching his hand into a fist. The knock is a fast action, loud and unnecessary and he almost regrets the violence of his knock until the door opens in front of him.

Magnus stands in front of him, eyes tired and cat in hand. His face is devoid of his usual makeup and his attire is a pajama set. He is in a state that Alec has never witnessed him in: casual and relaxed. Yet, there is something behind Magnus’s eyes that he cannot analyze easily. Alec tries not to stare, quickly averting his eyes to Chairman Meow, nuzzling his cheek into Magnus’s chest.

“Hi,” Alec murmurs, his gaze quickly meeting Magnus then returning to the cat.

A moment of silence passes before a short laugh fills the empty hallway. “Are you alright, Alexander?” he asks, stepping back and gesturing for Alec to come in.

Alec wants to decline the offer, but his body responds to Magnus’s offer before his mind can catch up. He stands in the middle of Magnus’s living room with the furniture in the same orientation that he had left it in those few days ago. He notices new potted plants and splayed magazines around the home.

“Sorry, I’ve been in a bit of stupor lately,” Magnus says, scurrying past Alec to throw the magazines onto the coffee table and the empty of boxes of tissues into the nearest trash can. A sudden pang hits Alec’s chest to think that Magnus had been crying.

“Don’t worry about the mess,” Alec insists. Before he knows it, he is reaching his hand out to stop Magnus’s rushing hands from picking up a stray shirt from the floor. He pulls back immediately, trying not to focus on the shock on Magnus’s face. “My apartment is always messy. Jace likes to say that it’s what makes it homely.”

“You’re house had a few clothes lying around, not the aftermath of a wreck of a person,” Magnus jokes, smiling uneasily. The smile does not reach his eyes and he takes his attention to a spot on the wall behind Alec. The joke does not soothe the tension in the room, but heightens it because Alec can immediately detect the deflection of the issue and the self-deprecation at hand.

“You’re not a wreck,” Alec says, shaking his head with a frown, “you’re a person. We all have those days. Sometimes, it can last weeks or months or a year, but we always get through them.”

Magnus stays quiet, his eyes still staring away from Alec. Chairman Meow jumps from Magnus’s arms and lands on the floor next to Alec’s feet. He pushes his weight onto Alec’s calves, purring gently before he makes his way to the kitchen countertop and resting in a curled position.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Alec asks carefully, watching for a negative reaction from Magnus. Magnus lifts his head slightly, turning his gaze onto Alec with a gleam over his eyes. “You don’t have to, but if talking about it makes you feel better, I’m all ears.”

“Soulmate problems,” Magnus whispers. He almost sounds bitter as the words fall from his lips.

Alec feels the weight of his heart heavying. “You’ve met your soulmate?” The question is unnecessary, but he needs to hear the words from Magnus himself.

“Yes,” Magnus answers after a beat of silence.

Alec tries not to let his facade down, but he feels his bottom lip quivering and his hands turn into fists. His heart is beating fast and his soul-mark seems to understand the situation. The soul-mark stings at the small of his back like a pressure applied to a fresh bruise. He wants to know what his soul-mark believes it knows. He wants to ask why the universe thinks it’s funny to play with his emotions as if they mean nothing. Magnus has a soulmate and there is no indication that Alec is that soulmate, his incessant soul-mark an exception.

Alec refrains from asking “Who is it?” or “It’s not me, is it?” because he does not want to further embarrass himself. He feels his body heat rising, the blush in his cheeks and the redness of his neck warming him entirely.

“The thing is,” Magnus says, pulling Alec out of his spiraling decay, “he doesn’t seem to know that I’m his soulmate”—Alec freezes, his heart skipping a beat at the words—“and I just don’t know how to tell him. I don’t even know if he could ever like me in the way that I do.”

Alec takes a breath in, his hands shaking as he braces himself. “Who is it?” The question comes slow and wary, his heart beating erratically as he waits for the answer.

“Would you laugh at me if I say I think you’re my soulmate?”

The world seems to stop in motion and his head begins to spin. His heart is suddenly singing and his breath is evening out. His eyes are wide and he pushes back the need to let out a relieved sigh.

“Alec?” Magnus calls, his eyes narrow and questioning.

Alec shakes himself out of his inner-celebration. “I’m sorry,” he says quickly, “it’s just that I came here to tell you that I’m pretty sure you’re my soulmate.”

Magnus looks relieved, seeming to cling onto every syllable from Alec’s words. His shoulders relax and a small smile replaces the stoic expression of his gaze. “You’re my soulmate?” he asks with a suppressed excitement. The smile on his face widens when Alec nods in response. “You feel that burn on your soul-mark, too?”

Alec pauses, staring at Magnus. “Where is your soul-mark?” he asks instead, curiosity getting the best of him.

“It’s on the bottom of my foot,” he says, “I stomped around a lot whenever it acted up. I get a lot of complaints from the couple that lives in the apartment below mine.”

Alec wants to laugh, but he frowns instead. “It didn’t look like you felt anything at all,” he murmurs. “I mean, that time I was helping you with your living room, my soul-mark was going wild. Wasn’t yours?” He calms himself by remembering what Dorothea had told him; he was engulfed in his own experience of the aching soul-mark to notice anything or anyone else.

“Of course,” Magnus says, “did you not see the amount of times I rubbed my foot against the floor or seemed to walk a little too loud around the apartment?”

Alec recalls the way Magnus had been dragging his feet, trudging through the apartment as they moved furniture around. He laughs at himself for being oblivious to the obvious uncomfortableness Magnus had been feeling that day.

“I’m terrible,” he says, shaking his head with a laugh on his face. “I’m sorry I didn’t notice.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything sooner,” Magnus says in return, a smile finally gracing his lips. “If I had known that you would be this happy, I would have told you the day I moved in.”

“You felt your soul-mark the day you moved in?” Alec asks. “I don’t think I did.” He frowns as he tries to recall feeling his soul-mark on the day Magnus moved in.

“It was faint,” Magnus says, shrugging his shoulders, “it didn’t feel like more than an itch, but when I realized where I was itching, it hit me.”

Alec shakes his head and groans. “I have the thickest head,” he says, dropping his head into his hands.

The fear of rejection is gone and is replaced with embarrassment. No longer is Alec worried about not having a soulmate; he is panicked about what his soulmate thinks of him: a mindless dolt.

Then, he feels cold fingers on his wrists and chin, pulling his arms down and his head up. He meets his gaze with Magnus, smiling gently. The closeness drives his heart to pound roughly in his chest. He feels himself leaning in, one hand resting on Magnus’s waist and the other cupping his cheek.

“Is this okay?” he asks hesitantly, stroking the rosy patch of Magnus’s skin with his thumb.

“Yes,” Magnus murmurs, nodding his head as he moves in closer.

When their foreheads meet, Alec is fluttering his eyes closed, wondering if he should do something until he is met with the refreshing sensation of Magnus’s lips and a feeling of absolute joy. Magnus throws his arms around Magnus’s neck to pull him closer. Their lips smack loudly against each other, but neither of them pay any attention. Alec splays his hand on the small of Magnus’s back and Magnus reaches to do the same. When Alec winces at the touch of his soul-mark, Magnus stops.

“Is this your soul-mark?” he asks quietly, his hand ghosting over the dip in Alec’s back hosting the soul-mark just behind a thin layer of fabric.

“Yeah,” Alec says gruffly, leaning into the touch. “I thought it was just messing with me for the longest time. I had no idea what to think.”

Magnus smiles, pressing their lips together once more. “I should have said something sooner,” he repeats against Alec’s lips.

“I only regret that we haven’t kissed sooner,” Alec admits, grinning at the eye roll Magnus gives.

“You’re a hopeless romantic,” he says, smiling widely.

“And you’re my soulmate,” Alec murmurs. His hand moves from Magnus’s cheek to his hair, stroking slowly with his fingers.

“And you’re my soulmate,” Magnus retorts, eyebrow quirked as he stares at Alec’s gaze.

“I’m glad I found you,” Alec whispers, smiling at the gleam in Magnus’s eyes.

“We’re lucky,” Magnus whispers, his lips hovering over Alec’s mouth. He stands tall on his toes to leave a trail of kisses from Alec’s forehead to the base of his collar bones.

“We are,” Alec agrees, his hand gripping against Magnus’s shoulder tightly, “I’m lucky.”

Magnus pulls back, leaving Alec’s collarbone with a loud smack. The plumpness of his lips and the redness on his neck leave Alec’s heart in a thumping mess. Magnus chuckles at Alec’s expression of awe.

“What?” Magnus asks. His laugh sends shivers down Alec’s spine.

“I’m so glad I found you,” he responds simply, reaching to hold both of Magnus’s hands.

They stand still, hand-in-hand, gazing at each other with an appreciated silence.

“I’m glad I found you, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Alternative Summary: Alec is a hopeless romantic who knows, very deep down in the inner-workings of his mind, he is not a good gamer. 
> 
> This started out with the mindset of definitely finishing it around 3k to 5k words, but look where we ended up. It's a little messy, but for the most part, I'm happy with the way it turned out. Tell me what you thought of it!
> 
> Say hey to me on [tumblr](http://hunterune.tumblr.com/).


End file.
